From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person.

In a narrower sense, the notion of 'francophone' reaches beyond the dictionary definition of "French language speaker". The term specifically refers to people whose cultural background is primarily associated with French language, regardless of ethnic and geographical differences. The francophone culture beyond Europe is the legacy of the French colonial empire and that of Belgium (Congo, Burundi and Rwanda).